Crop Over, Barbados’s biggest carnival, takes place every July and August in the streets of Bridgetown. The festival attracts people from all over the world, eager to experience its exotic sights and sounds.
Originally a celebration of the end of the sugar harvest, Crop Over has since expanded into a month long festival, ending in the six mile costumed procession of Grand Kadooment.
The Crop Over festival starts with the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, where the King and Queen of the festival are crowned. The celebration’s royal figures were traditionally selected on the basis of how productive their cane cutting had been in the prior season.
While those booking a holiday in Barbados to see the festivities may be blown away by the colourful costumes and lively bands, few will know just how much hard work has gone into the preparations.
“It is very stressful,” said Gwyneth Squires, a veteran costume designer and band leader.
“It takes about three or four months of work to get the costumes ready. Towards the end of preparations you are lucky to catch an hour’s sleep a night.”
Squires’ hard work has paid off though; she has been leading bands for 26 years and has won a record amount of prizes. This is all the more impressive considering the competition between bands, with the awards for Best Band, Best Male and Best Female being particularly highly contested.
Crop Over starts on the 1st July and finishes with Grand Kadooment on the 1st of August.
